Civic Initiative: Flowers against Cancerous Smog

F.Saliu

20 October 2005

The Green Society from Elbasan started an action for expansion of green areas and parks in the City, following the campaign to raise public awareness about the need to install air filters in Elbasan�s industrial zone.

The city of Elbasan

The initiative aims to improve the environmental conditions in the city, and to clean the air that suffered decades of industrial pollution. According to the leaders of the Society, 3500 square metres of grass were sown, together with 2000 square meters of flowers, and decorative trees and bushes were planted in a big landscaping effort.

According to Nazmi Xhaferi, the Society�s expert, the city today has 114,000 square metres under parks and lawns.

Also, the Society has taken action to eliminate kiosks and illegally built buildings on the streets and the main square in Elbasan, as well as the cleaning of the immovable waste.

The newly planted trees and lawns should ensure that Elbasan, which was once known as �the city of flowers�, would be green for the better part of the year. As a result of the latest efforts, Elbasan has more area in public parks and lawns than any other city in Albania.